Man fatally shot in street

19-year-old gunned down near his home

STOCKTON - Anguished relatives and concerned neighbors watched with horror and disbelief as homicide detectives processed the scene Tuesday after a teenager was shot to death in a north Stockton neighborhood.

STOCKTON - Anguished relatives and concerned neighbors watched with horror and disbelief as homicide detectives processed the scene Tuesday after a teenager was shot to death in a north Stockton neighborhood.

The shooting occurred at 1:37 p.m. in the 9300 block of Kirkby Lane, a residential street just south of East Morada Lane and east of Fox Creek Drive, authorities said. When officers arrived, they found a 19-year-old man who had been shot, police said.

A man who spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared for his safety said he went outside of his home after hearing about six gunshots and saw the victim lying in the street. The man ran over to administer first aid but was unable to resuscitate the victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

"He moved a little bit and he was trying to breathe, so I tried to push on his chest," the man said. "He had a little bit of a pulse at first, but then he was gone. It's shocking. I just pray for him and his family."

This is the 19th homicide the Stockton Police Department has investigated in 2014, up from 10 at this time a year ago.

The victim's relatives gathered outside their home just down the street from where the shooting occurred. A woman cried uncontrollably while a man tried to console her. Both declined to comment along with other members of the family.

Investigators were still trying to establish a motive, said Officer Joe Silva, a spokesman for the Police Department. Officers detained four people for questioning a half-mile away at Lansdowne Drive and Hillcrest Avenue about an hour after the shooting, but all four were released a short time later.

Neighbors said the area has long been infested with gangs, violence and drugs.

"There's a lot of gang activity and drug activity here," said Sam Phu, 29. "I try to stay out of the way, but you could still be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Stockton Police Department at (209) 937-8377, the Investigations Unit at (209) 937-8323 or Crime Stoppers at (209) 946-0600. Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards up to $10,000. Callers can remain anonymous.

Cellphone users can text information to 274637 (CRIMES) by entering the keyword "TIPSPD" followed by their tip. Internet users can visit the Police Department's Facebook page and click "Submit a Tip."

Contact reporter Jason Anderson at (209) 546-8279 or janderson@recordnet.com. Follow him at recordnet.com/crimeblog and on Twitter @stockton911.